Are the Canucks even a guarantee to make the playoffs next year?

Alarmist headline, but here me out!

Next year is the first year of re-alignment where the Canucks are moved out of the cozy Northwest Division and the ragtag group of teams that have failed to make the playoffs for years are plucked in a brand new as-of-yet unnamed division that for this article’s sake, we’ll call the Pacific*.

The Albertan teams remain but Colorado and Minnesota are swapped for the three Californian squads and Phoenix. Of those, four will make the playoffs.

Let’s throw Calgary out of the mix right away, cause whatever, and look at the six remaining teams.

LA Kings

They’re essentially the same team from these years prior, save for a Jonathan Bernier trade and a Dan Carcillo acquisition. Still, those are cosmetic changes.

Does Torts have what it takes to guide the Nucks to the Playoffs?

Your Kopitar/Richards/Carter/Doughty/Quick core remains, and that makes them the early favourite to be the best team in the Pacific*.

San Jose Sharks

Then you have the San Jose Sharks, perennial playoff favourites who utterly embarrassed the VancouverCanucks in the first round and took the Kings to seven games.

They, like the Kings, are bringing back the same core for another go in 2013-2014, a mix of the old in Thornton/Marleau and the new in Couture/Pavelski. They aren’t leaving the playoff picture anytime soon.

Anaheim Ducks

The Anaheim Ducks tore up the first half of the shortened season and were the only team to keep pace with the torrid tear of the Blackhawks.

Half of a half a season however is a quarter of a real season (math!), and with the Bobby Ryan trade there is no guarantee they will replicate that success.

Still, let’s not pronounce them dead just yet, the Bruce Boudreau era remains too early to call. Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf are as good as they get, and in this age of parity that could be all the Ducks need.

Arizona Coyotes

Or will the Kings be on their way to the Cup once again. (Photo: Google)

Dave Tippett has been doing god’s work down in the desert working with the smallest resource base perhaps in all professional sports and dragging the team kicking and screaming into the playoffs to the chagrin of patriotic hockey Canadians everywhere.

The Coyotes suck on paper, whether that paper be roster reports or financial reports, but they are the ultimate reminder that the game is played on frozen ice and not frozen trees. Wildcard, wildcard, wildcard.

That leaves two spots for the three other teams mentioned and a Vancouver team with a new coach, a disgruntled goaltender, and a whole lot of stink over the years they’re desperately trying to wash off.

Is it inconceivable they miss the playoffs? Not likely, but certainly within the realm of possibility.

Some combination of the Canucks faltering and their division playing above their heads could make 2013-2014 end the same way 2007-2008 or 2005-2006 did.